Why fast?

You should do what you are comfortable with then. Fasting outside of ramadhan is not obligatory. If you feel it is not suited to you, there's no problem (as long as you don't believe that the fast has no value in the eyes of Allah).
 
:sl:

peãrl said:
Fasting is quite beautiful really, really very humbling and shows us without Him and His provisions we are useless.
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I like this. Anything that's humbling is good...... and definitely worth doing.

Jazakallah khair sis. :)
 
I can attest from personal experience that monday-thursday fastings bring a lot of benefits. I do the fastings because:
1. I neglected my deen for many years, including neglecting to fast in ramadan, so I am still trying to pay for those days where I didn't fast, and still have a looong way to go
2. I am a single man, and Rasulullah SAW said "fast, for those men who are unable to get married yet" or to that effect.

I actually have observed HUGE differences between the weeks when I am fasting mon-thurs continuously and during other weeks when I am just too lazy to do it:
1. When I am fasting mon-thurs, I feel that my mind is more clear, I do more voluntary ibada such as shalah dhuha, tahajjud, and recite qur'an with joy and feel able to get more intense with supplications and have more khusu' in my shalah, go to masjid for jamaah. Meanwhile, during the weeks when I am not doing the fastings, let's not speaking about shalah tahajjud, at times even obligatory shalah can feel like a burden.
2. For a man, syahwat (libido) can be difficult to control, and for an unmarried man like myself, this can lead to temptations and much bigger sins. And for me, on the weeks I am fasting, it feels much easier to control syahwat. So I think this is also a reason why prophet SAW prescribed fastings for single man.

Also, voluntary fasting can only be done for the sake of Allah. It is not on ramadan when every muslim is fasting anyway, and no one knows whether you are really fasting, as only yourself and Allah know. In a hadith Qudsi:
On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may ALLAH be pleased with him) from the Prophet (peace and blessings of ALLAH be upon him), who said:
"ALLAH (mighty and sublime be He) says:
'Fasting is Mine and it is I Who give reward for it. [A man] gives up his sexual passion, his food and his drink for My sake.' Fasting is like a shield, and he who fasts has two joys: a joy when he breaks his fast and a joy when he meets his Lord. The change in the breath of the mouth of him who fasts is better in ALLAH's estimation than the smell of musk."
[Bukhari (also by Muslim, Malik, at-Tirmidhi, an-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah)
 
:sl:

Ramadhan said:
"ALLAH (mighty and sublime be He) says:
'Fasting is Mine and it is I Who give reward for it. [A man] gives up his sexual passion, his food and his drink for My sake.' Fasting is like a shield, and he who fasts has two joys: a joy when he breaks his fast and a joy when he meets his Lord. The change in the breath of the mouth of him who fasts is better in ALLAH's estimation than the smell of musk."
[Bukhari (also by Muslim, Malik, at-Tirmidhi, an-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah)
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Have to say I really appreciate this post. Subhanallah! It's worth fasting just for those two joys mentioned in that hadith. The joy experienced when I break my fast.... and the joy I'll experience..... insha'allah.... when I meet my Lord.

The point given by sister pearl has also convinced me. Anything that will crush that ego and bring it to its knees...... I'm all for it!!!

Jazakallah khair all brothers and sisters for your valuable contribution to this thread.
 
Riham said:
:sl:

Why should I fast? What's in it for me?

Convince me that it's worth doing.
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:wa:

You learn how to control your desires. If you can stop eating food for a certain length of time, you can apply this technique to other bad habits. You learn what it is like to be poor, appreciate the food that you have and not to wasteful.
 
People can also do the fast of prophet Dawood if they want, which is to fast 1 day on and 1 day off. For example, Monday you fast, Tuesday you don't, wednesday you fast, Thursday you don't. Then you fast on Saturday because if my memory serves me correctly you can't fast on Fridays. Then you miss Sunday and start again on Monday.
 
I may try that fast of Dawood. One day on, one day off sounds like a pretty good way to do it.
 
Just a Guy said:
I may try that fast of Dawood. One day on, one day off sounds like a pretty good way to do it.
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alhamdulillah if you are able to do prophet Daud fasting, but it is very hard brother and it require commitment. Remember that fasting is not only not eating and drinking and ingesting (such as smokes), but also refraining and restraining ourselves from all vices: from gossiping/backbiting/gossiping, from anger, etc.

I suggest you try with monday-thursday fasting, or the mid-months fastings, on 13-14-15 (remember, mid of islamic month, not gregorian/international month), because those fastings are prescribed by our prophet SAW and easier than prophet Daud fasting.
 
Ramadhan said:


alhamdulillah if you are able to do prophet Daud fasting, but it is very hard brother and it require commitment. Remember that fasting is not only not eating and drinking and ingesting (such as smokes), but also refraining and restraining ourselves from all vices: from gossiping/backbiting/gossiping, from anger, etc.

I suggest you try with monday-thursday fasting, or the mid-months fastings, on 13-14-15 (remember, mid of islamic month, not gregorian/international month), because those fastings are prescribed by our prophet SAW and easier than prophet Daud fasting.
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Well I tried my first fast Thursday and I made it about 6-7 hours with no food or drink. By lunchtime at work I was starving so I had to break my fast. I will try to go longer next time and gradually work my way up to going all day fasting.
 
Just a Guy said:
Well I tried my first fast Thursday and I made it about 6-7 hours with no food or drink. By lunchtime at work I was starving so I had to break my fast. I will try to go longer next time and gradually work my way up to going all day fasting.
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This is great that you are already practicing fasting. Ramadan is just around the corner and I hope you will be able to fast during the month. There are many many rewards for fasting in the month of Ramadan and I hope you get most of it.
Born in muslim family, I had my practice during childhood. I cannot remember exactly what age I started to practice fasting half days during ramadan, maybe around 6 or 7 and by puberty I was already fasting full month ramadan.
 
Ramadhan said:


This is great that you are already practicing fasting. Ramadan is just around the corner and I hope you will be able to fast during the month. There are many many rewards for fasting in the month of Ramadan and I hope you get most of it.
Born in muslim family, I had my practice during childhood. I cannot remember exactly what age I started to practice fasting half days during ramadan, maybe around 6 or 7 and by puberty I was already fasting full month ramadan.
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Fasting is a new concept for me, I admit. I have read about it, but never practiced it. The closest I came to fasting was when I went on a diet years ago to lose weight. I was on a limited amount of calories per day and some days I didn't eat very much. That still was not a true fast, though.

I want to be able to do it. I am a bit nervous about Ramadan, I have to admit, but I am also looking forward to it.
 
Salam young brother

don´t be nervous by ramadan fast. As this is your first one, take it by day by day, step to step. Slowly. I know it is important - I too was once very new muslim. I am living so north that this year my day is 18 hours. As Ramadan fast I use times of Mecca, not Finland.
 
Thanks, sister.

I think the days here will be 12-14 hours long or so.

I'll just take it one day at a time. Tomorrow is Monday, so I plan on fasting a little in preparation.
 

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